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Tuesday, 5 November 2013

Meteor showers in November 2013 Taurids and Leonids, a spectacular spiritual experience

We have two meteor showers coming up this November. Meteor showers are always a spectacular
sight and a reminder of how incredible this Mother Earth on which we dwell
is. "Shooting stars" and "falling stars" are both names
that describe meteors -- streaks of light across the night sky caused by small
bits of interplanetary rock and debris called meteoroids vaporizing high in
Earth's upper atmosphere. When a meteor appears, it seems to "shoot"
quickly across the sky, and its small size and intense brightness makes it look
like a star shooting across the sky. If you're lucky enough to spot a meteorite
(a meteor that makes it all the way to the ground), and see where it hits, it's
easy to think you just saw a star "fall." It is said to be very lucky
to actually see a meteorite land. Hence the song ‘catch a falling star and put
it in your pocket. You may not be able to catch a falling star, but you can
enjoy the amazing experience, put it in your pocket and save it for a rainy
day!

The South Taurid meteors are happening right now. This meteor show originates from the constellation Taurus. These meteors
are quite spread out with only about 7 meteors expected per hour. The Taurids are, however, well known for having a high
percentage of fireballs, or exceptionally bright meteors. So well worth
spending an hour or two gazing at the sky to catch sight of a spectacuar fire
ball!

Map of the Taurids

Coming up next week we have
the North Taurids, these meteors should be visible from late night November 11
2013 until dawn on November 12th. Like the South Taurids these
meteors are not particularly frequent with again approximately 7 per hour.
Typically, you see the maximum numbers at around midnight, when Taurus the Bull
is highest in the sky. Taurid meteors tend to be slow-moving, so plenty of time
to catch sight of these particularly bright meteors. The best time for viewing
will be after the moon has set after midnight as it will be a waxing gibbous
moon by then so the brightness will make viewing more difficult.

Hard on the heels of the
Taurids come the Leonids from late November 16th until dawn on
November 17th. The Leonids radiate from the constellation Leo the Lion. The source of the meteor sis Comet Tempel-Tuttle, which is falling apart
as it makes periodic runs around the sun and its ices melt from the heat.

Map of the Leonids from astronomy magazine

The famous Leonid meteor
shower has produced some of the greatest meteor storms in history – at least
one in living memory, 1966 – with rates as high as thousands of meteors per
minute during a span of 15 minutes on the morning of November 17, 1966. Can you
imagine that? It is said that the meteors were falling like rain! Some who
witnessed the 1966 Leonid meteor storm said they felt as if they needed to grip
the ground, so strong was the impression of Earth plowing along through space,
through the meteoroid stream.

Most Leonid meteor showers
are unfortunately not as exciting as that one, usually they produce 10-15
meteors an hour, which will still be a spectacular sight. NASA classifies the Leonid meteors as bright, colorful, and "some
of the fastest meteors out there." A typical speed for a fragment is about
44 miles (71 kilometers) per second. We have
a full moon during the Leonids which will of course shine her brightness all
night long, thereby reducing the visibility of the Leonid meteors. The next
spectacular year for the Leonids by the way is predicted to be in 2034 as they
occur every 33 years, so a little while to wait! This year will be a bit different a the Leonids are predicted to have two peaks of activity on Saturday 17 in the morning and Tuesday 20th November, again in the morning.Like the Taurids, the Leonids
can also produce fireballs from larger chunks of the comet so that will be
worth keeping an eye open for. "The Leonids
are white or bluish white, many are faint, though can appear outstandingly
bright, leaving glowing trains in their wake," Space.com

For best viewing of meteors
it is better to go where there is not too much surrounding light. If you can
escape to the countryside or a park then your viewing will be much better. I
like to watch meteors flat on my back, then you really get a sense of being
gounded on our earth whilst watching this spectacular show happening in our
heavens. Watching meteors can be a deeply spiritual and uplifting experience.

About Me

I want this blog to be about you rather than about me but feel free to ask me anything you would like. This blog is about living a healthier happier life by being in touch with the seasons and the wheel of the year and with your inner soul. I am someone who sees the spirit within nature and follows the cycles of the seasons, the moon and the sun. I see all plants, animals, and humans as sacred and divine, believing that there’s a bit of the divine in every corner of the earth. I don't follow one particular doctrine as I believe in religious tolerance and all religions have something to give. I have more information including aspects of Paganism, Angels, Crystal Healing, Chakras, Goddess, Wheel of the Year on my website http://www.astarte-moon.co.uk. I also have a shop selling a range of items including Fair Trade clothing and handmade gemstone accessories Astarte-Moon shop Please feel free to message me or contact me on shop@astarte-moon.co.uk